Antistatic agents and soil release agents are used extensively to impart antistatic and soil release characteristics to substrates treated therewith, particularly textile materials, such as textile fabrics. A desirable feature of such agents is durability, that is, the ability of the agent to be retained on the substrate during subsequent handling or use thereof. For example, in the case of textile fabrics, such as clothing, it is desirable that any antistatic or soil release property imparted to the fabric be retained thereon through subsequent laundering operations. A need exists for a single treating agent or composition which can impart to a substrate both antistatic and soil release properties which are durable.
The application procedure for the agent of the invention is similar to procedures known in the trade for applying textile treating agents or fabric conditioners of the type disclosed herein. For example, procedures employed in the application of commercially available Zelcon.RTM. TGF Fabric Conditioner to polyester and certain polyester blend fabrics are similar to the procedure required to apply the agent of this invention to fabric materials. The agent of the invention and the results achieved with it are readily distinguishable from the Zelcon.RTM. TGF Fabric Conditioner and the results achieved with it. Zelcon.RTM. TGF Fabric Conditioner is a reaction product of hexa(methoxymethyl)melamine, ethylene glycol, a bis(hydroxyethyl)terephthalate oligomer, polyoxyethylene glycol monomethyl ether having a mol. wt. of 550, and a mixture of C.sub.12, C.sub.14 and C.sub.16 alcohols which have an average ethylene oxide content of 15 per mole. It can be prepared by the reaction technique set forth in Example 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,807. Whereas fabric treated with the Zelcon.RTM. TGF Fabric Conditioner, using conventional application conditions, does not exhibit antistatic behavior which is durable to home washing, fabric treated with the agent of the invention, using the application procedure described herein, retains its antistatic behavior through numerous home washings (HWTD cycles).